Shang Warrior
by LaylariSwifteye
Summary: Laylari is a girl who wishes to train with the Shangs. Since Tamora Pierce hasn't written about that topic yet, I thought it fitting.
1. Beginning

She was right above them, hidden in the foliage that covered her tree. Amber eyes watched two men as they argued quietly on the ground. If only they would shut up and leave their packs she thought furiously! She had been watching them for nearly an hour, losing her patience as she waited when they stopped talking and went to sleep. Well they didn't leave but I can still get their food she thought. Her nimble toes slid down the trunk of the tree and onto the dry leaves without making a sound. Her five-foot seven-inch 16 year-old figure crept slowly toward the camp. She undid the ties on a pack and lifted out a bag of travel food. She slid back toward the tree and began to climb. Halfway up she missed a foothold and fell out of the tree landing in a messy heap on the ground. The men were awake in an instant. She had sprung up and was just about to flee when a yank on her hair forced her head up to look into one of the travelers faces a knife pressed against her throat.

"Well, well, well looky what we got here," drawled the one who held her, " a little thief"

"And a pretty one at that," said the other man," Why don't you stay with us sweetheart." She spat into his face. He wiped it on his sleeve and said," You'll pay for that one wench!" With the reflexes of a cat she ducked under the knife and kicked the man hard in the stomach. He keeled over backwards and lay still, the breath knocked out of him. His friend approached, knife still drawn. She leapt up and pushed of with her foot from a tree. Spinning halfway around to face him she kicked his blade arm at a nerve making him drop the weapon. She grinned and darted off through the tree hearing his curses as he tried to follow. Once a safe distance away she stopped to catch her breath. She had taught them a lesson. That was the last time they would mess with Laylari of the K'miri tribe Freja! Thinking of the K'miri made her heart sink. Ten years ago, when she was six, her tribe had been traveling to new territory when they were ambushed by Scanran raiders. Her mother and father had fought but she had run and hid in the forest. She watched as those men killed every person she had ever loved. She went back to the bodies to get food and weapons when one of the men spotted her. She had run for her life into the forest that was now her home. But now she wondered if she should keep that home or leave. Lately she dreamed of going to the capital of Tortall to train with the best fighters in the realm, the Shangs. She sighed, her dream was almost completely hopeless. While the Shangs did take girls of common origin they wanted young children. Would the best fighters be willing to train a 16-year-old? Well, either way, she decided, I'm going to Corus, anything's better than living in this forest all my life. She moved stealthily to her dwelling in the forest. It was a cave, small, but serviceable. She packed her meager belongings in a threadbare pack, and ran her hand for the last time over the drawings of her family on the cave wall. "Goodbye Mama, Goodbye Papa," she said softly and left the cave.

She had been traveling for half the day when she came to the road. She made a quick glance to either side and dashed across the beaten earth. She looked behind quickly to make sure she hadn't been seen. It certainly wouldn't do for the two who had caught her last night to see her again. She turned forward again and came skidding to a halt. She had almost run straight into a woman who seemed to have appeared from thin air! "Whoa, there girl, didn't mean to frighten you," said the woman. She had gray hair and looked _very_ strong. "What's a young one like you doing out her alone?" The woman looked her over, taking in the too large clothes and the threadbare pack. "I don't have to answer that! What are _you_ doing out here?" snapped Laylari. "Oh, touchy are we?" retorted the woman. "If you must know I prefer the woodlands to the road, and safety is of no concern to me." The woman showed Laylari her hands, encased in gloves with an embroidered cat. "They call me the wildcat in the Shang order." "You're a shang?" cried Laylari. "I want to train with the Shangs, will they take me?" she asked hopefully. "Sorry girly, you're too old, got to be young to learn the skills," said the wildcat. Suddenly the older woman dropped to the ground and tried to sweep Laylari's feet from under her. Laylari did a back-handspring, landing neatly on her feet with her hands up. "What was that for!" she yelled. The wildcat looked at her oddly. "You just might do, come on" she said, trotting off through the woods. "Where are we going?" shouted Laylari, hurrying to catch up. "Got to make the inn before rain starts!" the wildcat shouted back. "I want to be dry before we set out for Corus in the morning!"


	2. The Inn

Most of these characters do not belong to me as they belong to the wonderful Tamora Pierce. Please don't sue me.

They just barely made it to the inn before the storm broke. The sky, which had be sunny and clear most of the morning, had turned black with thick storm clouds.

"How did you know it was going to rain?" Laylari inquired of the wildcat.

"Haven't you ever heard the expression that a warrior's scars can tell changes in the weather? No, I suppose you wouldn't have," the wildcat answered. Laylari had told the shang her story as they made the journey to the inn. The woman had listened without comment, and for this Laylari was grateful. Pity would have brought back the endless tears she had shed for her family.

The inn was warm and, most importantly, dry. A maid led the women and girl to two adjoining rooms on the second floor. Laylari entered the left room, while the wildcat entered the right. Gazing around the room Laylari felt a surge of excitement. The room itself wasn't special but this was the first time she had been in a building for a decade. A bed! She hadn't had a bed in that long either. A knock on her inside door drew Laylari back to the real world.

The wildcat looked in and asked, "You hungry?"

Laylari realized she was, the excitement at the sight of the room had drowned out any other feelings in her.

"You'll like the food here, it'll be paradise compared to what you're used to," the wildcat stated.

"You're probably right, the food I stole from travelers couldn't be enough that they would miss or they would know I had been there and berries and roots get a little tiresome," was the reply.

The wildcat led her down the stairs into the common room. Laylari stopped in the doorway. After living in the quiet woodlands the noise in the room was deafening. How could people hear themselves think in this, she wondered. The wildcat went to talk to the innkeeper and left Laylari standing in the doorway. She realized she probably shouldn't stand there mouth agape, and slid into a seat at an empty table. A serving woman came over to take Laylari's dinner order. Hoping fervently that the wildcat wouldn't mind the cost, she ordered a little of everything. She decided the noise was overwhelming and put her fingers in her ears to get a little bit of peace. It wasn't long before she felt a tap on her shoulder.

"You won't get used to it with your fingers in your ears you know, besides I want you to meet someone" said the wildcat as she slid into the seat across from Laylari. Laylari looked up and was shocked to see man of around 30 looking at her. He was tall, and handsome, with delicate features and a dark complexion.

"This is Joesh, the shang falcon," said the wildcat looking from Laylari to Joesh. The two were staring at each other.

"Are you going to sit down or do Laylari and I have to break our necks to look at you?" demanded the wildcat. Joesh smiled and sat down next to the wildcat.

"Laylari wants to train with the shangs you know," said the wildcat, taking a sip from a cup of juice she had brought with her to the table.

"But you know she's too old!" argued Joesh. "We never take anyone over 6! The council won't be pleased."

"Ordinarily I would agree that she's too old. You have to start young to learn the reflexes and balance of our line of work," she said to Laylari. "But her reflexes are amazing. I tried to leg sweep her."

Joesh turned to smile pityingly at Laylari. "You've more guts than I do, sitting down after taking a fall like that off the wildcat. Your backside must sting something—wait, what do you mean you _tried_?" Joesh asked incredulously.

"I mean I missed, I would have thought that would be obvious," said the wildcat.

"But you never miss! Even when you spar the council members!" interjected Joesh.

"Well I missed this time because Laylari did a back-handspring and landed perfectly balanced on her feet."

"You may have a better chance then I thought, girl," said Joesh staring at Laylari in awe.

The serving woman came back with food and they all enjoyed the meal. The wildcat and Joesh spoke about their friends and gave Laylari information on the Shang order. They told her that the council was made up of the best shangs from all over the world who were named after immortals due to their skills. There were the shang unicorn, the shang griffin, and others.

"Ordinarily the council would have been ruled by the highest shang of them all, the dragon," the wildcat explained, a little sadly. "The last shang dragon was killed about 9 years ago in the fight to protect the king from assasins. He was a good friend of mine." She sighed, "Oh well, enough stories, it's late and I need my beauty sleep. You had better go to Laylari, we're riding to Corus with Joesh in the morning." Laylari was glad to abandon the noisy common room for her bedroom. She got into the feather soft bed and was immediately asleep.


	3. Chapter 3

The bed turned out to be less of a blessing than Laylari had originally thought. It was far too soft after years of sleeping on nothing but a rock floor. In disgust Laylari threw her pillow and blanket on the floor and went back to sleep.

Laylari awoke the next morning to the door between her room and the wildcats swinging open. The wildcat saw her on the floor and smiled ruefully, "why did I even bother to pay for a bed when I knew full well you weren't going to use it?" she asked herself aloud. "Never mind, get dressed and eat this," she thrust a roll and some cheese at Laylari. "I like to get out before the crowd so pack quickly," she left the room and Laylari hurriedly began shoving things in her pack. On the way out of the room she checked her appearance in the mirror, a task she had not done for years. Amber eyes set above high cheekbones in her creamy beige face made her quite attractive. But the hair! Her hair looked as if bats had nested in it. She ran her fingers through it in a vain effort to smooth her coif. She avoided thinking that her newfound interest in her appearance had anything to do with new people she had met. She grabbed her bag and left the room.

The Wildcat and the Falcon were waiting for her outside. Laylari mounted the chestnut mare she had been brought and the three set off for Corus.

Sorry this ones so short guys I've been really busy


	4. The Shang Council

The ride to the palace was comfortable as the two Shangs chatted about their lives, the palace, and any other topic that came to mind. Joesh told Laylari that he had come from a fief close to the desert, far to the south of Corus. His dark skin was a result of some ancestor who had been a member of a Bahzir tribe. Laylari told the new Shang of her past. He too listened in silence.

At last the trio breasted a hill and the palace and the capital lay before them. Laylari stopped dead and stared with her mouth agape. "It has that affect on people," the Wildcat told her with a twinkle in her eye. "Don't forget to breath," Joesh reminded her. Laylari had actually stopped breathing for a moment so the reminder was rather helpful.

Once at the palace they stabled their mounts and the Wildcat led Laylari on a brief tour of the palace. "You'll get used to it eventually but we don't have time to see the whole palace right now. We're late," said the Wildcat. "Late for what?" inquired the girl.

The wildcat said nothing as they went down a corridor that branched off into various training rooms. Laylari took a peek in one and saw a lone person practicing. At first she had thought it was a boy, from the short hair and the large stature but she quickly realized it was a girl of around 14 practicing punching and kicking patterns. Against the wall behind her was a staff topped with what looked short sword. The girl caught Laylari's eye and gave her a quick wink and a smile before returning to her exercises. "Who was that?" Laylari asked of the Wildcat. "Her? Oh, that's just Kel; she's a nice girl and a good fighter even if she is a noble." "I didn't know there were girl squires" said Laylari, feeling rather ignorant. "Squire. She's currently the only one to have taken up the King's proclamation that girls may train to be knights, anyway, no more questions. We're here."

Laylari was led into a smaller room filled with the largest variety of people she had ever seen all sitting in chairs around the walls. The wildcat began introductions: a smiling Yamani man was the Shang Horse. A shorter Yamani man with the obviously litheness of a gymnast was the Shang Monkey. A woman who was at least half K'miri was the Shang Tiger. She had her fingernails filed into points like claws. An enormous man with rippling muscles took up two chairs with his 6' 7" height and massive frame: the Shang Bear. At the back of the room was a table with 3 people seated. They were the Shang Griffin, the Shang Phoenix and Kylaia al Jmaa, the Shang Unicorn, acting head of the Shang Council in the absence of a Dragon.

"We are here to discuss the election of a Shang Dragon," the Unicorn stated simply, even her voice was deadly. There were murmurs around the room at this announcement. "I know we all miss Liam," there was a moment of silence for the fallen hero, "but we must move on. The council has never been without leadership for so long. As the Griffin, the Phoenix and myself are the council, we will be watching all of you to see who would make a good candidate for the Dragon. We will the vote on the matter and choose one Shang to take the Ordeal of the Dragon. That is all." It was a firm dismissal and they all knew it. The room emptied until only Laylari, the Wildcat and Joesh remained. "Now we get to discuss you," said the Wildcat, "here goes…"

Thanks for all the reviews. To the latest one: I'm sorry you find my format annoying, this is my first story after all. I will try to better in the future but if it truly bothers you enough not to read my other chapters then I have no problems with you not reading my story. It is just for fun after all.


	5. Apology from the author

One of the reviews actually led me to a mistake I made in the last chapter. When the Unicorn says "we will be walking amongst you" or something like that I meant "we will be walking amongst your students." Temporary loss of brain function, as I did not mean to imply that Shangs could rise up in rank. I'm very sorry and I will update soon.


	6. The Test

Laylari awoke in her chamber stiff after the sparing with Joesh and the Wildcat the day before. She hadn't gone to sleep right away because of the tumultuous thoughts running through her head. Would the Shangs take her? How would they know she was good enough? What would her name be? She had finally settled down around the watchman's cry of midnight. There was then a knock at the door. She hobbled over to it and opened it to see Joesh and the Wildcat's far too awake and smiling faces.

"Welcome to dawn training!" said the Wildcat.

"Your kidding right?" Laylari asked. "You're not kidding…" she trailed off.

"Nope, you have to practice to keep in shape. The more you sweat in practice the less you bleed in battle." Joesh quoted an old proverb.

They led her to a practice court and started her on stretching, and then Joesh excused himself for a moment and left the room. She was stretching her back by having her legs in a partial split then bending forward to rest her elbows on the floor when she heard the door open. She looked up and immediately fell on to her backside.

"Oh no. No, no, no…" she said weakly.

Entering the room was the Unicorn looking stretched and refreshed with her fighter's gloves in her hand.

"You knew this had to come," said the Wildcat. "We have to know if you are fit to join us and the only way to know is to see what you can do."

"Why can't I just fight you?" Laylari pleaded.

"I'm good, but I'm not the best. You'll be fine"

The Unicorn stepped back into a fighter's crouch and bared her teeth at the girl. Laylari prepared herself and circled, looking for an opening. The Unicorn lunged. She was almost impossible to follow!

Sorry about the cliffhanger but what kind of writer would I be if I didn't make you wait a little?


	7. Chapter 7

Needless to say the Unicorn trounced Laylari soundly. She managed a few lucky hits but nothing stopped the fury of the Unicorn. As she nursed her numerous bruises and her hurt pride Laylari was consoled by the Wildcat and the Falcon.

"You did better than most, a lot of the training Shangs don't even get to spar the council members for fear they will be seriously injured," said the Wildcat soothingly.

"I know, I just feel like I'm so new and inexperienced," Laylari knew she was feeling sorry for herself and tried to perk up. "Oh well, I guess I'll just have to train more."

As Laylari still knew nothing of the palace the Wildcat and Joesh took her for a tour. Once again they passed Kel who gave them a small wave and went back to training. Laylari was overcome by the sheer size of everything; they passed by dining halls and the pages rooms until the two Shangs decided to stop by the stables.

"If you're going to be a Shang you are going to have to be able to ride a horse" the wildcat told Laylari.

Horses….This was not good. Laylari had not been on a horse for years. She was out of practice and a little frightened. Seeing the look on her face Joesh disappeared for a moment and came back with a young woman. She had smoky brown hair and very blue eyes.

"So this is my new student?" the woman asked. "Don't worry I won't kill you like these two have, I'm Daine."

"Laylari" said the girl shakily eying the rows of rather large horses before her.

"Alright Laylari lets see which horse will suit you best"

They walked down the line as Daine appraised the horses to herself, "Not Thunderstrike, he's far too large her feet won't even hit the stirrups….Thistleweed, hmm no too slow for battle…Aha! Sundancer swift and deadly, perfect. She led out a brown gelding with white flecks that looked as if it could outrun the wind. The horse and Laylari were led to a fenced paddock where Daine leaned on the rail and told the girl to mount up. Laylari looked at Sundancer's bare back and croaked, "Saddle?"

Daine shook her head and smiled, "You don't get a saddle until you have mastered bareback riding. Now up you go." She helped the girl onto the horse but once she was up there Laylari had no idea what to do. "Tap his sides gently" Daine instructed. With what she thought was a gentle tap Laylari did as she was told. The horse took off around the paddock at breakneck speed as Laylari clung for dear life onto his neck.

By the end of the lesson Laylari could get Sundancer to different speeds and didn't slide off of his back every 10 seconds. Daine told her she had made a vast improvement and within a couple of weeks she could train with a saddle. Feeling quite pleased with herself Laylari slid from Sundancers back and immediately sat in the dirt. Her legs were completely numb and twitching without her consent. Daine and the wildcat hauled her up laughing and dragged her to the women's baths for a nice long soak.


	8. The Announcement

The bath was long and very hot, just what Laylari needed after her ride on the 'bruiser' as he was called. She hobbled back to her chambers, too tired to even attempt dinner in the mess hall. She lay down on the bed, grimaced at the uncomfortable softness, and threw her pillows and blankets to the floor. It wasn't long into her musings about her very confusing life that she heard a knock on the door.

Tossing aside the covers she walked over and opened the door quickly almost earning a rap from Joesh, who had been knocking. In one hand he carried a covered tray. He smiled at her and she invited him in.

"I didn't see you at dinner and I figured you'd be starving" he said. "I know this training can be tough and it's all at once but…"

"You were right, I am starving," Laylari replied grabbing the tray and wolfing down a roll to fill the awkward silence now pervading the room.

The rest of the meal passed with the same hush. Finally Laylari put her goblet of juice aside and directed a question at Joesh, "What's wrong? You've been quiet all night and I know you're the silent brooding type but this is too much, even for you."

The young man smiled at her, "You know me too well already. It's this whole situation I'm worried about. No trainee fights the council members—it's just not done. I don't understand what's going on with the council and why they won't formally accept you into training. You're good enough that you would be initiated in just a few short months, weeks maybe." He sighed, "I just don't like surprises." He stood up slowly, "You must be exhausted, I'll let you rest" he quietly left the room leaving Laylari alone with her thoughts.

**The Next Day**

Another meeting was in progress when Laylari arrived in the meeting room a little later than she had planned the next morning. Taking her seat beside Joesh and the Wildcat she asked, "What have I missed?" "Nothing much, just some trivial announcements" replied the wildcat shifting in her seat, "But it looks like something bigger is coming" she said, eyeing the council members warily.

The Unicorn stood up and said that the council had an urgent matter to discuss and that they must convene in a separate room. "We will return shortly" she said warningly, "do not stray."

Laylari was now very uncomfortable; everyone seemed to be watching her. She counted the lines in the wood-grain on the floor to keep from meeting their eyes in what seemed like the longest wait of her life. She knew she had been kept waiting longer but this seemed somehow important.

Finally the Council re-entered. They walked to the table at the front of the room and the Phoenix and the Griffin took their seats. Kylaia remained standing and made the announcement:

"As you know only a few days ago a newcomer came into our midst hoping to learn the ways of our training. We do not accept those past the age of 4, this has been our law for as long as the Shangs have existed, but laws can be changed. We have requested the presence of a Doi tribeswoman to confirm the Councils opinion." The door to the Unicorn's left opened and an elderly, fragile woman doddered out. All eyes followed her as she walked to the middle of the room and sat cross-legged upon the floor. From her pocket she pulled a cloth bag. She began to chant and Laylari felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand straight up. Pressure was building in the room as the woman's chanting grew louder and louder. As her voice reached its peak a blast of white light enveloped as her she spilled the small bones she had been carrying in her bag. When the light finally subsided Laylari looked around. This time it was not her imagination, everyone was staring at her. Looking down again to avoid their eyes she discovered the reason. The old woman's bones had fallen to the floor, forming a perfect circle around Laylari.

Kylaia's voice rose above the increasing whispers throughout the room, "You have been chosen Laylari. You will attempt the ordeal of the Dragon. If you survive you will be the first recorded female Dragon in Shang history."

Sorry about the abysmal wait guys. Senior stuff like college got to be too much. Hope this sorta makes up for it.


	9. Help Me

There have been a few people expressing an interest in this story and I am truly sorry I haven't been updating at all. Being busy sounds like a lame excuse but there you go. If you want me to continue someone will have to tell me what a beta reader is and how to get one because the comments about my grammar (which I really don't think is as bad as some people say, I've certainly seen worse anyway) make me reluctant to continue. Anyone who wants to help can post a review with the info or e-mail me a 


	10. Discontiuning, Sorry!

Sorry about this guys (if any of you are still reading) I am discontinuing this story. I ran out of ideas for this topic. I am working on a new story that, to an extent, continues Lady Knight and follows the progress of the war with Scanra. I'm really sorry about it . Also I just wanted to point out to the last reviewer (and you weren't rude don't worry) that the story of the Shang Unicorn was published in Young Warriors _after_ my story's first chapter went up. It's kind of cool to me that Tamora and I had the same idea. Once again, sorry.


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